2022: Rapid React

Game Overview

Rapid React is the 2022 FIRST Robotics Competition game. Rapid React is played by two alliances of three teams each, with each team controlling a robot and completing specific actions in order to score points. The game revolves around both alliances shooting inflatable over-sized tennis balls known as Cargo into a central Hub and climbing within their Hangars at the end of the match. The overall objective of each match is to score more points than the opposing alliance before the match ends. More information can be found on Wikipedia or watch the game animation.

Our Robot

RobotThis year we ended up with a robot with an autonomous mode that ingested cargo balls off the ground and shot them into the high goal for a 4 cargo auton. Our drivetrain was a 6 wheel west-coast style tank drive running on 5″ Colson Wheels, 1/16″ drop center, powered by 2 dual-NEO gearboxes for a maximum of 15 ft/s free speed. Our shooter is a bottom loading hood shooter mounted to the ArmaBot turret 240. The shooter itself is powered by two Neos that drive three five-inch colsons wheels. There is a steel flywheel on the same shaft as the colsons and two feeder wheels are powered by a Neo 550 on an UltraPlanetary. The hood of the shooter is composed of two ribs that the ball rolls on directly, and is easily replaceable so the angle can be easily adjusted. Our intake is a three and a half bar, vertically oriented, pneumatically actuated to help with speed and collision resiliency. We use mechanum wheels for a wider intake range along with a split bumper design to move the cargo. We ended our match with a level two climb made possible by our climber that consisted of a pair of hooks mounted on extending arms. The arms are controlled by the climb gearbox which lets the two arms go up and down by winching and unwinching the spool at the base.

Competitions

Championship Engineering Inspiration AwardThis year was our most successful year ever. We attended the Week 4 Iowa Regional where we won the Engineering Inspiration award, then the Week 6 Minnesota North Star Regional where we ended up ranked 4th and the captain of the 3rd seeded alliance where we not only won our second blue banner but also took home the prestigious Chairman’s Award. At the 2022 World Championship in Houston, we ended up being ranked 17th on Carver and being selected by the 6th-ranked alliance as their third pick. Unfortunately, our alliance lost in the quarterfinals. We did however bring home some awesome awards. Leslie Kim brought home Team Neutrino’s (& Iowa’s) very FIRST Dean’s List Award Winner! Team Neutrino won the Championship Engineering Inspiration award at Houston. This is our first award at Championships, and we are the first Iowa team to win the Championship Engineering Inspiration Award!

Chairman’s

This year, our essay’s theme emphasized the identity and growth over the past 11 years and how our team has made an impact in those years. While also facing and overcoming the recent challenges of the pandemic that completely disrupted our season. Read our complete chairman’s submission.

The Team

Students

Basmala A, Rida A, David D, Lyra H, Henry K, Sam K, Leslie K, Maighdlin L, Mikayla L, David L, Jixiang L, Anton L, Humza M, Quinn M, Logan M, Becky M, Claudia M, Davin M, Ian N, Ryan P, Nathan P, Alex R, Stuart S, Elijah S, Shreya S, Lauralee T, Abby T, Noah W, Cale W, Joshua W, Mick W, Jacob X, Adam Z

Associate Students

Avery C, Matthew H, Taylor J, Peter M, Alanna S, Cade T, Sam H, Steven H, Camden W, James X

Mentors

Mike C, Andrew G, John H, Nate K, Mike L, Dagney P, Jeanne P, David R, Mike S, Brian S, Stacia S, Timothy S, Benjamin S, Moriah C, Lovie R, Jacob P, Tony M